Automated external defibrillators (AED)

High quality CPR will help keep the heart and other organs alive, but often, further treatment is needed to restart the heart and help it beat normally again. This is done with a controlled electric shock that stuns the electrical activity of the heart (defibrillation) and allows it to start beating normally again. (Defibrillation is not needed in every type of cardiac arrest).

The guidelines for this topic vary according to whether your territory falls under the American Heart Association (AHA), Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation or the European Resuscitation Council (ERC). Please choose which guidelines you'd like to learn about.

Automated external defibrillators (AED)

This section is based on the American Heart Association Guidelines

Resuscitation flowchart for AED use (courtesy of American Heart Association)

Publication Name — Circulation.2020;142:S366-S468
2020 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR & ECC – Part 3: Adult Basic and Advanced Life Support
Specifically: Page S373, Figure 2. Adult BLS algorithm for Healthcare Providers
Reprinted with permission, Circulation.2020;142:S366-S468, ©2020 American Heart Association, Inc.
https://cpr.heart.org/en/resuscitation-science/cpr-and-ecc-guidelines/algorithms#adult

Automated external defibrillators (AED)

This section is based on the European Resuscitation Council Guidelines

Resuscitation flowchart for AED use (courtesy of the European Resuscitation Council)

 

Automated external defibrillators (AED)

This section is based on the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation (ANZCOR) Guidelines

Resuscitation flowchart for AED use (courtesy of ANZCOR)

 

The AED is a complex computer that is capable of studying the heart and deciding if defibrillation is needed or not. There are many different makes, but is usually a small box attached to two sticky pads or electrodes that are placed on the chest.

They are designed for use by people who have never used one before and will talk to you as you are using it, telling you where to put the pads, how to do CPR and keep time for you.

Most modern models will recognise the need to defibrillate and advise you as such. They will then charge up and recommend that nobody touches the patient whilst it asks you to press a button that ultimately delivers the shock.